Zucchini-and-Fennel Pasta
- 4Servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound curly-edged, long-cut pasta, such as long fusilli or mafalde
- About 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 4 anchovy fillets
- 1 small bulb fennela handful of feathery fronds reserved and the bulb trimmed, quartered, cored and very thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 pound small, firm zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced on an angle crosswise
- 1 red chile, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon fennel pollen or fennel seeds
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus 1 teaspoon grated peel
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn
- Freshly grated pecorino-romano cheese
- 1/3 pound ricotta salata cheese, crumbled
Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 4 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the anchovies to melt into the oil completely, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the fennel bulb, zucchini, chile, garlic, fennel pollen or seeds and lemon peel; cook until crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and the reserved pasta cooking water. Add the pasta and toss to combine; mix in the basil.
Serve the pasta in shallow bowls. Top with lots of fennel fronds, the pecorino-romano and ricotta salata.
